Impossible Situation
by BriefShiningMoment
Summary: Arthur is going to die. He can see his death coming towards him. Until it doesn't. Impossiblity intervenes in the form of his servant Merlin, with the eyes of a sorcerer. Now a twoshot. Reveal fic.
1. Inescapable fate

Arthur looked up in horror, barely registering that he was seeing his death lunge toward him in a blur of fur and vicious claws.

Until it wasn't.

A roar burst through the chaos of noise that surrounded him and Arthur saw the beast being violently thrown back by a beam of blue light. His hunter's instinct had the King of Camelot spinning on the spot in a crouch to face this new threat.

What?

His thoughts half formed from seeing his manservant Merlin – Merlin! – standing, tall and powerful, his arm raised in attack. Golden eyes burned back at him, fierce and terrifying.

A beastly growl ripped through the forest. Just as Arthur had identified a new threat, another creature had identified the greater target. Before Arthur could so much as call out, a mass crashed into the lanky form of his manservant and bore him to the ground. Flailing back in a scene so alike his old clumsy Merlin, the sorcerer was set upon by two of the great beasts.

Arthur darted to the side where he could see his sword, too stunned to come to horrifying conclusion that he was about to see a man – his friend – being torn apart.

He'd just picked up his weapon and was about to charge in to the fray to rescue the man when he was once again stopped by impossibility. The gathered beasts were thrown back, shrieking in to the air. Merlin stood, eyes golden, blood and dirt covering his angular face and torn clothes. He had never looked so powerful.

His arm darted forward, his hand splayed in Arthur's direction. Arthur tensed, not thinking anything but a possible threat and readied himself.

"Svelt deor!" the sorcerer commanded. Another flash of light, faster than the previous – or is it just because it was in Arthur's direction – sped towards him. Arthur didn't even have time to duck before the spell sped over his shoulder.

Bewildered, Arthur turned once again to see another beast thrown away from him. It had been sneaking up on him while he'd been distracted. Taking a step backward, Arthur looked in horror as the surrounding forest was filled with the beasts.

There was a pause as the pack glared at the man in front of them. One crept over and sniffed at the unmoving beast on the floor. A grunt from the investigator seemed to be the signal they had all been waiting for. At the confirmation of the death the horde charged toward the lone warrior, the area filled with the noise of their movement and their howls.

Behind Arthur he heard more growls and roars, which sounded different than the approaching beasts, more frantic and ancient…magic. Before he could identify the source of the other call his view of the approaching horde was blocked by a tatty brown jacket.

"Gescildan! Awendap eft wansaeliga neatu!"

Arms came up and a blue barrier flowed out from the sorcerer's fingers. Arthur's thoughts had long ago stopped being coherent. All he could think was a feeling of relief that whatever had been done had stopped the creatures from getting to him. They pressed against and attacked an invisible barrier which formed a dome around the two.

The sorcerer turned to Arthur for the first time since the attack had begun. He kept his hands up and his eyes remained golden and desperate.

"Merlin?" Arthur began uncertainly.

Merlin nodded slightly and met his eyes. For the first time, Arthur recognised fear in their depths. Despite the fact that his eyes were shining in a foreign colour, Arthur knew them. Somehow, his friend was still standing in front of him. And he had just handled an ongoing attack without wavering, but was afraid of meeting Arthur's eyes. Satisfied that he was beginning to understand this impossible situation, Arthur nodded back to him.

"How long can you hold them off?" Arthur asked.

"Long enough," Merlin responded shortly, straining with the effort of keeping his spell going.

"Until what?" Arthur demanded, eyes narrowing. Arthur knew Merlin wasn't telling him something. He'd seen that look before and had only now recognised it for what it was.

Instead of responding, Merlin looked up at the sky with a slight smile. A roar sounded and fire rained down. Kilgharrah had come.

BriefShiningMoment

Spells:

Kill this beast!

Avert back the terrible beasts!

My second oneshot. I've never written so much in a short space of time This is the first time I've had Merlin reveal his magic to Arthur. I'm not too keen on following it through with explanation etc, I think this is enough. If anyone wants to continue it, by all means do. Just tell me so I can read what you do with it, for curiosity's sake. Obviously I don't own Merlin or any of the characters.


	2. A symbol of hope

Arthur ducked and swore as fire crashed against the shield around him.

"It's alright, Arthur," Merlin reassured him. Arthur froze and slowly turned his head in Merlin's direction is eyes dangerously calm.

"Alright?" repeated Arthur. Merlin blinked at him, his eyes fading to their usual blue and lowered his arms. The old fear crept up on him, tightening its vice like grip on his heart.

"Tell me _Mer_lin," the man in question winced at the sound of his name coloured in fury. Behind Arthur, Kilgharrah landed in the clearing, gazing at the scene before him. The King didn't notice, too absorbed in his rant as his world crumbled around him.

""How in the name of all that is good is anything in this god forsaken situation _alright?_ My manservant, my friend has lied to my face all this time! Breaking the law like he's above it, insulting me behind my back every day like he's something special, above jurisdiction. Pretending to be a helpless idiot when all along you're the most protected of us all! How many times have you stood by and watched? Content to stand by as my people suffer while your kind wreak havoc in my kingdom –"

"Enough!" a thunderous voice interrupted. Arthur spun round and gaped at the being before him. His mouth opened and closed as his attempts to speak failed at the sight of the most fearsome beast he'd ever thought he'd defeated.

Merlin, who had stood his ground, ready for Arthur to finish his rant before arguing back, cleared his throat nervously.

"It's alright, because the dragon won't harm you?" he replied, his uncertainty making the response sound more like a question. Arthur stared at him, incredulous.

"The time of Albion is close, young warlock. I will leave you to explain to the king why you have kept your secrets. Be warned, Pendragon," Arthur looked alarmed as the dragon addressed him. "If you kill my dragonlord, I will have vengeance," he threatened ominously.

"No!" roared Merlin furiously. Arthur gaped in shock at his tone. "Kilgharrah, I forbid it," he commanded, his expression one of cold authority.

The dragon's eyes glinted in anger but concern for Merlin lingered. He bowed in obeisance before taking off. Arthur watched him leave, shaking his head numbly. Another shockwave hit him as he turned to see his servant on his knees.

"I know what I've done," Merlin said, meeting Arthur's gaze. "I've always known this had to happen. I knew it from the first time I used magic to save your life, pulling you away from that dagger. I know that, according to law I must be executed." Arthur winced at the word magic, but he couldn't disguise his flinch at the word executed.

"I had hoped to tell you one day," Merlin continued, a resigned sadness in his tone. "I thought maybe you could learn to accept my kind and forgive us the sins of a minority. I don't know my future but I willingly place my life in your hands. It's been an honour to be your servant, Arthur."

They looked at each other for a moment, Merlin in turmoil and Arthur expressionless. Slowly, he drew his sword. Merlin clenched his fists and blinked away tears, determined to see this through to the end. With a fast movement Arthur brought his sword down.

Merlin gasped a shaky breath as the sword was stabbed into the earth in front of him, forcing him to look at the blade. He struggled to regain his composure.

"Tell me about the sword, Merlin. And tell me the truth," Arthur said quietly. Merlin looked back up at him, uncertainly.

"I…well you needed one," Arthur raised his eyebrow. "A better one. You couldn't fight your uncle without a sword that could kill the dead-"

"Wait," Arthur interrupted, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"The black knight that you challenged. He was a wraith, a shade of your uncle, Tristan Dubois. None of the knights could defeat him and you needed to."

"But I didn't, my father fought him."

"Well I didn't know that at the time!" Merlin protested. "I was desperate, I didn't know what Gaius and your father were planning, I just thought if I didn't do something you'd be killed. So I asked Gwen to give me the best sword her father had-"

"You're telling me this was made by Tom?" he asked disbelieving. Merlin shook his head.

"He may have made the weapon but I made the sword. I asked Kilgharrah to burnish it for me."

"The dragon? The dragon that was held under the city and guarded night and day?"

"Not very well," Merlin muttered, remembering the numerous times he'd managed to give those guards the slip. "Kigharrah warned me that the sword was powerful, that no one other than you could wield it. I gave him my word. But then it was Uther that used it instead. It all turned out fine for everyone else but they didn't have an angry dragon to deal with. I'd broken my promise. I hid it, where no man could find it."

"In a stone?" Arthur asked. He could think of more secretive places. Merlin cleared his throat nervously.

"In a lake," he corrected.

"Well how on earth did it get in a stone?" Arthur demanded impatiently.

"I needed it again. I couldn't fight the immortal army without something that could kill the dead."

"When did you fight an immortal army, Merlin? You were meant to go after the warning bell," Arthur said dangerously quiet. Merlin looked uncomfortable.

"I went after the cup." Arthur's grip on the sword hilt tightened. "I emptied the cup of blood. It was the only way to save Camelot. After that I put it in the stone. A promise that one day the Once and Future King would take it up and we'd be free and at peace."

Arthur stared at him, stunned. He'd had no idea that the story of the sword was so close to him. It was one thing to hear about an old legend of a sword, but to hear that he was such an integral part to that legend was indescribable.

"A symbol of hope," Arthur murmured. He pulled the sword from the ground and gazed at it with new eyes. Merlin watched as Arthur turned his attention to him again.

"Thank you, Merlin." He held out a hand for him and Merlin took it gratefully, struggling to his feet after such a long time kneeling.

"Um, do I take it you're not going to kill me?" Merlin asked hopefully. A shadow flitted across Arthur's eyes as he remembered all the times Merlin must have lied to him. Then he felt the weight of his sword, knowing it wouldn't coming close to the weight of loyalty Merlin had for him.

"A good warlock is hard to come by," Arthur said brightly. Merlin's face split with a joyful smile.

"Come on, we've got laws to change."

BriefShiningMoment

Yeah, I finished it. Thanks for the reviews people! Really appreciated them.


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